


Nerves

by DryadOffical (HalfDryad)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, gerry is soft and it makes me emo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23152837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalfDryad/pseuds/DryadOffical
Summary: Gerry enjoyed the company of Michael, something about the way the blonde was timid yet would stand up to Gerry if he was being a bastard about something, or he snapped at Michael first, he’d snap right back, looking up at Gerry. And on one of the more recent encounters like this, that’s when Gerry realized he might have had some kind of feelings for the little blonde. Watching Michael scold him, pointing up at Gerry, his fluffy curls framing his face and his eyes bright as he did so, Gerry felt his heart skip for a moment.
Relationships: Gerard Keay/Michael Shelley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 72





	Nerves

**Author's Note:**

> Finally another TMA fic, and god I think I've fallen in love with these two for some reason, and I've just interacted with all the content possible for them. I can't get enough! If it's a lil ooc or anything like that, I'm still grasping around for their voices, and with their backstories and all that, it's a lil hard to get ahold of it all. 
> 
> But I do hope you enjoy!

Michael didn’t know at first, what drew him to the broody goth who seemed to be out of the institute than in it. Maybe it was the way that when Gerry was there, he was kind, if a little… short with his answers. At first anyways. They got to know each other and a friendship was kind of easy when it formed, and Gerry…. he protected Michael in a way. When there was a bastard saying something or another about him, or just when Gerry could see Michael needed a little pick me up of any sort, he’d help. And Michael, in turn, would help Gerry. But really, that was Michael’s nature, to be helpful and kind, and Gerry always looked like he could use more sleep and food, so he’d bring the man something to drink or eat, or shoo him out of the institute when it was way after hours. 

Gerry enjoyed the company of Michael, something about the way the blonde was timid yet would stand up to Gerry if he was being a bastard about something, or he snapped at Michael first, he’d snap right back, looking  _ up  _ at Gerry. And on one of the more recent encounters like this, that’s when Gerry realized he might have had some kind of feelings for the little blonde. Watching Michael scold him, pointing up at Gerry, his fluffy curls framing his face and his eyes bright as he did so, Gerry felt his heart skip for a moment. 

He didn’t like it at first, crushes and relationships, they would get in the way of what he was supposed to do, and no one at the institute lived long enough to see a good romance, and if they did. That was a damn rare case. Gerry shakes his head of the thoughts of his father, who he misses…. more than anything. Now, he makes a face at that, looking back down at the documents on his desk as he looks through them, finding wherever the hell his next Leitner might be, and for once in a long time, he was at a dead end for almost anything. 

“Are you… okay?” Comes Michael’s soft voice from the doorway and Gerry turns to look, seeing the blonde standing there, hands clasped in front of him as he looks at Gerry, looking worried. “Do you need anything?” Michael asks when Gerry turns to look at him. For once, he flounders for a response. 

“Ah… no thanks Michael, just.” A sigh. “Finishing up some leads that didn’t… go anywhere.” 

“Another Leitner?”

“Yeah. Nothings coming up, so I think that’s a sign I need to head out for the night, clear my head. You heading out too?” Gerry frowns more when Michael shakes his head. 

“I still have some things I need to finish up before I go, my mind won’t let me sleep tonight if I were to go home anyways.” Michael shrugs and gives a small, shy smile. Gerry thinks for a moment, then blurts out. 

“What if I ordered us something to eat and I kept you company?” Michael’s eyes go wide at the offer, his pale cheeks flushing a light pink. 

“I.. i- you. You don’t have to!” Michael stutters. Gerry shrugs. 

“Not like I would be getting much sleep anyways, might as well help a bit if I can.” The blonde bits his bottom lip and thinks for a moment, and before Gerry can say anything else, he sighs. 

“I think that’ll be nice, yes. Thank you, Gerry.” 

Gerry goes and orders something for the two of them after asking what Michael would want, and the two spend an hour working while eating their food, combing through books, papers, and even online to see if they can find anything related to what Michael was supposed to be researching. After another hour, Michael lets out a huff, stands and stretches, then sits down on the slightly more comfortable couch in the room, slouching on it a little bit as he makes a face. Gerry can’t help but to chuckle a little bit and follow Michael over to the couch, sitting down next to him, close enough that their knees knock together a little bit. He ignores the flush that slightly appears on Michael’s neck, and desperately tries to ignore how his own face feels warm. 

There’s a brief silence between the two, and for once, Gerry feels comfortable in a silence. It’s not awkward or anything like that, just the two of them taking a break from something that was frustrating them, taking a moment of silence. He looks at Michael out of the corner of his eyes and sees the man fidgeting slightly, like he wants to ask a question, but is thinking of the best way to go around doing it. Finally, Michael does. 

“What do you do, when you’re not doing all of this?” He waves his hands out at the last part, gesturing to the air in front of them and the work they're doing. And. At that question, Gerry has to take pause and  _ think.  _ Because that’s one of the hardest questions he’s been asked in a very long time. 

“I mean. I really don’t do much of anything else other than hunt down Leitners and shit like that. I’ll go to the occasional music thing and that’s about it, this job doesn’t lend much free time.” Michael chuckles and nods, a small smile on his face. 

“The job pays well, but you can’t do anything with any of the extra cash you have. I like to go to museums, art galleries, things like that. It’s hard because I only have so much time, and I wanna see everything. But ultimately. I can’t.” Michael’s voice is soft at the end, and he’s looking down at his hands, folded together on his lap. Gerry, slowly, and a little nervously, reaches his own hand over and places it on top of Michael’s. Michael looks up at him, confused. 

  
  


“Why…. don’t we bail tomorrow. We’ll go to an art gallery or something you wanna do. Because I think you get out even less than I do.” Michael chuckles at that last bit, and nods. 

“You’re probably right.” His eyebrows crease together and he sighs. “I can’t just leave Gertrude alone, she needs my help, and I have to be here for her.” Gerry is already shaking her head by the end of what he’s saying. 

“Nah. She’ll be fine for one day, she can deal without you and you can have a good day off.” Michael is silent for a long time before he nods and smiles wide at Gerry, making the goth's heart swell a bit. 

“Okay! I think I can do that.” 

The two part ways for the night, heading to their respective place of living and getting as much sleep as they can, to prepare for the next day. Both go to sleep with nerves in their stomachs. Michael keeps thinking to himself;  _ is this a date, did he ask me out?  _ And Gerry is laying in his bed thinking something similar.  _ Did I ask him on a date? Did I?  _

  
  
  


Both of them are nearly late, Michael texting the location of the museum he wanted to go to as soon as he woke up, and the time they could meet. They’re still almost late, but show up at basically the same time, flushed and grinning at one another as they meet up outside of the building. They pay their fee and get in, figuring out where to go first. And at this, Gerry let’s Michael take the lead, letting the blonde lead him around, telling him about various exhibits and things like that. 

It’s like the man falls into a trance, information steaming from his lips from one thing to the next, and Gerry can’t stop listening. Just listening to Michael’s voice was something Gerry realized he could do for hours on end, especially if it was something that Michael loves. The way Michael’s eyes light up and the smile he gets on his face, it has Gerry stopping and just looking at Michael as he talks and gestures to a display in front of him. If Gerry had a little more courage, he could have easily kissed the man right there. But he refrains himself, and just is content to follow Michael along. 

After about two hours and only half the museum, the two walk to get something to eat, sitting down at a small cafe a couple blocks away and grabbing something small. They do talk about their work, because it’s an easy middle ground that they both are familiar with, and they talk of other things too. Michael talks about the things he does when he’s at home, amateur art that’s a lot of doodles more than anything. Gerry talks about the musicians he likes, about how he did take a vacation a few months back and it was one of the most relaxed he had ever been in a long time. 

Michael even manages to get Gerry to talk about his father. It’s not even that Michael brought it up, the conversation just fell that way, and it was so easy for Gerry to talk about Eric Delano. While he was gone when Gerry was still little, he had great memories of his father, of the things they did together despite him not being able to see. About the stories Eric would come up with when putting Gerry to bed, and how Gerry could tell his dad was  _ so  _ much happier now that he was taking care of his son, and not at the institute anymore. It really got him a little misty eyed, and Michael reaches over and places a gentle hand over Gerry’s larger one. It made him smile, it made his chest burst with warmth, and he clasped his hand around Michael’s, and they both walked back to the museum hand in hand. 

They don’t let go through the rest of the day, not even when they both stopped because they had to separate to go different ways to their homes. Michael was suddenly shy again, but the small smile on his face had yet to leave since they started holding hands, and god, was it infectious, because Gerry could feel a small one on his face as well. 

“I’d. Invite you back, if that wasn’t too forward.” Gerry jokes and bumps their shoulders together, looking down at Michael. Michael snorts out a soft laugh. 

“A little too forward, but I don’t know if I would have said no.” Michael grins and looks up at Gerry with a light mischievous look in his eyes. Then he starts giggling a little, which makes Gerry start to chuckle as well. He leans down and presses a kiss to Michael’s soft cheek, and stays at his level. Michael turns, his eyes fluttering for a moment, before he reaches up with his free hand and puts it on Gerry’s broad shoulder, pulling him close to kiss him slowly. It’s soft and timid, the two of them testing the waters of something very new, then Gerry deepens it a little, cupping Michael’s face in his hands to kiss him breathless. 

And both of them are breathless as they pull apart, looking at one another, then they both grin at each other, full of nervousness and fondness combined. Michael gives Gerry another small peck on the lips before taking a step back. 

“I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” Michael says, voice soft. 

“I’ll see you.” Gerry nods, and the two separate, until the next day. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like to see more TMA/Podcast content in general, I'm over @transjonmartin on tumblr, and @HalfDryad on twitter! I'm always open for requests for... basically anything! I hope you enjoyed this little fic I wrote in one sitting at midnight~


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